


Settling In

by sicvas



Series: Lesbi-honest [1]
Category: Pitch Perfect (2012)
Genre: Coming Out, Discovery, Drunken Confessions, Drunken Kissing, Drunkenness, F/F, F/M, Shipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-02
Updated: 2013-12-02
Packaged: 2018-01-03 07:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1067669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sicvas/pseuds/sicvas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aubrey is a lesbian; she's not just going to stand on a soapbox in the middle of campus and announce that fact but it's not exactly a secret, except to her best friend who she couldn't bear to lose.</p><p>When the Bellas start to play sleepover games whilst drunk, though, a certain redhead is going to come to a startling realisation, and one she took far too long to reach.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Settling In

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first AO3 (so forgive if its formatted all wrong or whatever), completely un-beta'd and my first for this film.
> 
> Love =)

It's the initiation party where Aubrey notices her; her ear monstrosities barely noticeable from behind: but still she notices.

What she's surprised at is how, when the DJ doesn't realize anyone's eyes are on her, she seems quite peaceful, almost like a decent member of society. Clearly, though, she doesn't want society to know this, so Aubrey writes her off as a lost cause for the new face of the Bellas (sure, it's the start of the year, but she needs to be thinking way ahead).

(Unless, maybe, she can trust Chloe to break her out of that impossibly hard exterior she's wearing. It's a no-brainer, Chloe brings sunshine even in the middle of the night when you absolutely need to be up but, by your life, you don't want to be. Whether she can trust the hobbit of a 19-year-old music major with a steady job as her father's worst nightmare is highly questionable, i.e. she's questioning if it's a stupid idea or a mortally stupid idea.

Chloe was always wildfire, though, spreading warmth with that flame of her hair, and her smile, and her soul. Aubrey knows she can't prevent Chloe from unnecessarily putting in effort-that-Chloe-calls-effortless to burn Beca's walls right down.

She doesn't think Beca will appreciate it.

She really needs to stop crushing on her roommate.)

"So," an unmistakably foreign accent makes her realise she's been staring at Beca's back, possibly angrily: she doesn't know, just begs that no-one noticed, "There's, like, ten of us, right?" Fat Amy asks rhetorically and continues with only a pause for breath, "That means that one of us is probably a lesbian."

Okay, maybe someone did notice her staring. Aubrey isn't closeted, per se, but nobody really _needs_ to know her sexuality, right? Especially not anyone who could find fault or tell her father, or anyone who may become wary of her because she finds the male form a little more than disgusting.

(If she was being really honest, and she'd need a few vodka shots to get there, she'd have to say that she was a bi-romantic lesbian, because all that rom-com crap with guys does appeal to her - and she has, to her own dismay, had her eye on that Treble with the unicycle for this - though she could never imagine kissing a man. Ever.

She thinks it has something to do with her relationship with her dad, but Chloe's the psychology major, not her.

A little voice in the back of her head reminds her that Beca is a psychology minor. And that Chloe doesn't know she's gay.

She'd be mortified if Chloe knew and chose to move out. Their current arrangement, even with the pain of watching Chloe sleep and knowing she'll never be snuggled up behind her, she believes is less painful than if she weren't to see Chloe everyday. Not to mention that Chloe is her rock; Chloe is intimate with everyone. She can't lose that support. She doesn't think she would, but she can't be sure: another reason to question if she should tell her best friend or not.)

Aubrey gathers that Amy is expecting a response only a fraction of a second later than she would usually, and settles for "Who do you think it is?" There. That's not a denial or an affirmation. It's not like she's hiding anything: if Amy asks, then she'll answer.

Amy doesn't ask. She points out Cynthia Rose checking out Stacie's ample breast. Aubrey makes a face like she's analyzing the dynamics of the pair, when really she's analyzing what cup size she thinks Stacie fills out. G. She settles on a G, and she'll have to start a game of truth or dare to find that out later.

She's nodding, definitely only at Amy's insightful observation, and definitely not in approval of Stacie's boobs.

She sighs and turns back to talk to Amy then, who screws up her face, looking in the direction of Beca. Aubrey follows her eyeline.

Chloe has just leaned right in. From this angle Aubrey can see that there's approximately 5 millimeters between their faces. Amy chuckles her deep-bellied laugh next to Aubrey. "Or maybe the deaf Jew and little red over there." Aubrey sighs in despair once more. Trust Chloe, if she is into girls, to prefer midget brunettes.

She needs a drink.

 

It's midnight when Aubrey's rounded up most of her new crew to play various games. Truth or dare, spin (once you've emptied the contents of) the bottle, never have I ever, you know the games. Aubrey only plays them when she's drunk (and she is _very_ drunk), as if her brain just wants to become more intoxicated. It probably does.

Chloe watches Mary Elise walk off with Greg. Shame, Aubrey thinks, she was a good singer.

(She's then looking for Kori so all the loyal Bellas can play truth or dare. Aubrey finds the sophomore in the process of doing it with Unicycle behind amphitheater's central wall. After slapping her romantic crush so hard it hurts her hand, though probably not his face, she officially dis-invites Kori from the group. Unicycle mocks her with an apology in that deliciously low voice of his. Aubrey recognizes it's because of music, all the magically harmonies they could create together, that she maybe-kinda likes Uni. She shakes her head as she walks away, as she imagines kissing him and can only feel it poisoning her vocal chords.

She's so gay.)

As she returns to their collection of chairs Beca flops down beside her, grumbling. She's always had a musical sense, though, and that noise escaping the atrocious alt-girl's lips isn't sincere. She smiles at that, and because it looks like she's making an effort Chloe smiles at her from across the wonky circle. (Ten bleacher seats, with Aubrey and Beca side sitting backwards, Lilly, Cynthia Rose, Jessica, Ashley and Denise sat sideways, and Chloe, Amy and Stacie sat correctly, all facing inwards.)

(Aubrey thinks she could put up with Beca, for Chloe.)

"Okay!" Amy sounds... cheery, "truth or dare, aca-bitches! Silent death, I choose you!" The large blonde yells, pointing at Lilly and gaining some catcalls from the Trebles below. Aubrey and Beca roll their eyes.

"Truth." Lilly whispers.

"Ummmkay," Amy grunts. Aubrey makes a mental note, despite her heavily intoxicated state (she is an honest yet conservative drunk), never to ask for a dare off her fellow blonde. "Who was your first kiss?"

Beca rolls her eyes. Aubrey doesn't, because she usually would but can't tolerate the thought of being alike Beca.

She's good at denial.

"Dennis, the ten-year-old I restrained in seventh grade." Lilly whispers. Aubrey, sat right next to her, hears first time, but after the third repeat Lilly simply says "this kid called Dennis", the answer everyone else hears.

"Aubrey." Lilly requests after everyone has finished their unified chant of 'ooooh, okay' (if they're half that good at the Bella prep 'cheer', Aubrey thinks, this ragtag bunch of misfits might not make a bad team. She later finds out that they really cannot get the hands-in).

"Um, dare." She replies, secretly hoping the sadist Asian will request she kiss one of the group. Very secretly.

"Set the keg on fire." Lilly smiles, producing a lighter from up her sleeve.

"Dude, no!" Aubrey yells on instinct. It seems like the rest of the group support her executive veto, but she's still made to take the forfeit: down two pints from a plastic cup.

(She takes her own then Beca's, the younger girl tapping out a beat with the empty solo cup when it's returned. Aubrey rolls her eyes. Lilly is sent off to get more alcohol.)

"Stacie!" Aubrey giggles around the name. Stacie perks up at her name being called but Chloe, sat next to the well-endowed chocolate-haired beauty, frowns a little. Aubrey turns to her, worried, and she unmistakably perks up to a disturbing extent.

"Truth!" Stacie sounds about as perky as Chloe, or as Aubrey is presently. Aubrey smiles, remembering her question.

"What's your bra size?" The question gets a few wolf-whistles from the group, but Aubrey suddenly bursts out drunk giggling and pretends to start falling back off her chair (Beca catches her arm and Aubrey's skin cools dramatically, possibly actually sobering her some, somehow) so they all just believe she is far too drunk.

"32G." Stacie boasts proudly, which gets more whistles and yelps from pretty much everyone in the group (a rapidly drunk-becoming Beca included) and from some of the Trebles, Donald and Unicycle especially, for whom Stacie stands and takes a little bow. She may be purposefully presenting her cleavage to them, her ditzy mind may not have recognized that as an implication/consequence of bending over. Either way, the impressive boobs are right in Aubrey's eye line, practically in her face, and she, as the embarrassing drunk, leans forward to motorboat them for a quick minute before Stacie sits back down. There are cheers from below. 

Bumper calls up "That explains so much, Posen!" Everyone laughs. Amy reaches over and slaps her on the shoulder. Cynthia Rose shoots her a death glare, definitely borne from jealousy. Chloe looks at her questioningly, but slyly and a little impressed.

Oh, sh-

"Can we play never have I ever now?" Stacie asks instead of naming someone. Some groan as they haven't taken a turn, but most of the girls want more alcohol in the system and now, so they agree to move on.

Beca calls down for the new Treble favorite (geez, everyone seems to love him already, he's basically the guy version of Chloe), Jesse, to bring them all up a load of drinks.

(He grabs Kolio and Hat and they return a few minutes later, during which the Bellas had been idly chatting, with another keg. Jesse whispers to Beca when they've dumped it in the Bella circle and the other lads have moved off, but Aubrey can hear her neighbor's conversation, that it's Bumper's but he's flat out drunk and not to tell. She laughs and loudly promises she won't tell his secret before he gives her a really-are-you-even-trying-to-hide-that-toner not-so-sly wink. Beca giggles and over-dramatically winks back.

The five foot brunette internally chastises herself, thinking that something that cheesy and with such a lack of subtlety should make her roll her eyes at herself, as Aubrey is doing just to her left right now. But it's Jesse, who makes her so goofy inside, and alcohol, which drags this out of her. She remembers why she doesn't drink much.)

"Okay," Stacie begins, as it is her turn after all, "never have I ever slept with the same guy on consecutive nights." Ashley, Chloe, and Beca drink. That's it.

"Never have I ever, hmm," Chloe is thinking, hard, Aubrey presumes, as she has done a lot of things, "oh! Never have I ever had shower sex!" Beca raises an eyebrow in disbelief, causing Aubrey to give the DJ one of her own, then scoffs and drinks. So does most of the group.

"Tasmanian devil, your go!" Beca calls to Amy.

"Ah, okay. Er. Never have I ever, er, kissed a girl." Amy announces.

Aubrey drinks. Chloe, Beca, Stacie, Cynthia Rose, Ashley and Denise drink. Chloe starts singing Katy Perry's 'Kissed A Girl' at the same time and spills some of her beer down her front.

Aubrey's eyes are on Chloe's front; everyone else's eyes are on Aubrey. Chloe's eyes then move from checking her top to meet Aubrey's. As the girls begin to look between the two (and damn it if she wouldn't find the tension palpable even were she any other of the circle members) Aubrey breaks the stare and Chloe checks her nails.

"Well, okay." Beca speaks out, and Aubrey is mentally thanking the elf. "Um, Ashley?"

"I guess," Ashley is actually pretty shy, "never have I ever kissed a girl more than once."

The same group begins to take a swig, only with Denise sticking her hand up and asking if it counts if it's the same girl.

"Yup." Aubrey announces, slowly on her way to passing out blind drunk, knocking her cup with Denise's across the middle and taking a big gulp. Then, "DJ, go!" towards Beca, nearly knocking the smaller girl off her chair when Aubrey elbows her side.

"Er. I guess, I've never fucked a girl."

"Nah, girrrllll," Aubrey says (right after she's taken a drink, mind you), "you've got. To. You gotta, Chloe?" She can't seem to speak coherently anymore, and looks to her best friend to find the words. Beca's alarmed expression (not for one second did she think that Aubrey believed that she and Chloe had slept together, definitely not) disappears after a second as she both remembers she's a bad-ass and realizes that Aubrey was just asking for help making words simultaneously.

Chloe rolls her eyes a bit but smiles lovingly. She squeals, "what my aca-mazingly intoxicated friend means to say is that you have to say it properly. You know, 'never have I ever, dot dot dot'."

Chloe talks with her hands, and Aubrey can't help but grab one to hold onto. Chloe smiles and looks at their linked hands. Then her face lights up as if she's just had an epiphany. She swallows and squeezes Aubrey's hand before letting go and taking a drink.

"Hey guys, it's getting late, how about we move onto spin the bottle?" She asks, but with such authority that they just do, Cynthia Rose downing her Bulmers and planting the bottle on top of the keg.

 

Chloe is a very good calculator of bottle spins. She can manipulate this to her advantage. Aubrey knows this. Hopefully, despite her being off her face pissed, it will tell her something. Chloe takes a deep breath and spins the bottle after a quick glance around.

The bottle is about to settle on Aubrey but stops at Beca, the keg uneven. Chloe shrugs and begins to hand her head: that was totally not the something she wanted to tell Aubrey. Beca notices the slump Chloe's suddenly entered and kicks the keg a bit. Like heck it's noticeable; the Russians on the International Space Station can't have missed it, but when the bottle lands on Aubrey both seniors look up and into each other's eyes.

Chloe swallows "I am so gay."

"Me too." Aubrey says, leaning up over the keg and catching the back of Chloe's neck in her hand, smiling lightly before connecting their lips. Immediately, Chloe's tongue forces its way into Aubrey's mouth and the blonde moans in pleasure. Almost as quickly, the rest of the girls disperse.

Chloe gets up out of her seat and pushes the keg aside, dragging Aubrey up to her level of seats.

(The next morning there is a note - in Chloe's handwriting - pushed under every Bella's (and every member of every a cappella group's) door, explaining that **_IT_** is not to be mentioned. Ever. Until further notice. For something such as love it sounds so formal. Beca snorts in derision; even earlier than Chloe can force her stationary into Beca's quarters Amy had sent a group text to all of the Bellas: 'Operation Set Up Chlaubrey is GO!' it read, which Beca found positively hilarious - and annoying, she was nursing the mother of all hangovers, man!)

 

When Chloe gets back to their dorm from passing out the masses of handwritten notes she insisted on, the sweet ginger settles onto Aubrey's lap and winds her arms around the other woman's neck. She smiles contentedly.

"How did it take me so long to realize?" Chloe asks, rearranging Aubrey's bed hair.

"You're so, you." Aubrey emphasizes, unsure how she can actually exemplify what she means, moving stray red wisps (because Chloe's hair is so naturally frizzy, it's so adorable) out of Chloe's eyes. She seems to get it, though, and leans down to kiss Aubrey chastely, before settling in to snuggle. Aubrey hugs Chloe tight and they fall asleep wrapped up like that.

(Eventually, Chloe's learning coordinator stops by to see if she's well because, let's be honest, she would never miss a tutorial otherwise. Dr Mitchell, who she somehow ended up with because of a lack of psych staff and her Literature minor, is forgiving, though, and knows about her involvement with the Bellas - and now Aubrey, note - smiling to himself, glad that his daughter has settled in with who he'd describe as 'good people'. She'd just smirk at him and tell him to stop trying to be hip, but whatever. Just as long as it doesn't turn into some girl sex group, he's just glad Beca is joining in.

Beca's kind of glad, too. She never thought she'd find any girl friends, but she has a ready-made friendship group for the next four years handed right to her, and they're actually pretty great.

Not that she'd ever tell her dad that.)

For now, Aubrey and Chloe are glad to be making up for lost time, even if Dr Mitchell can't bring himself to wake the couple up.


End file.
